An investigation of the effects of cervical traction

Mechanical cervical traction is often used on the assumption that it reduces muscle tension. 1-5 The first 52 patients, included in a larger clinical trial of 100 patients with neck and arm pain described elsewhere 6 who had been randomly allocated to weighted or placebo traction, had surface electromyography (EMG) recordings taken over the upper trapezius muscle. Results were based on 44 sets of useable data, and showed that both forms of traction (weighted and placebo) significantly reduced muscle tension when patients were reclining ( p<0.05). This reduction was not maintained when the patient returned to an upright position. No significant differences in EMG reductions were found between placebo and weighted traction.